A lot of adults and children are bothered by protruding ears, or ‘sticking out ears’, and want to do something about it. If you’re concerned with this problem (or your child), you can trust Dr.Balti, renowned surgeon in Tunisia, with your ear surgery Let’s take a look at the causes of ear defects.
What causes ear defects ?
In most cases, sticking out ears are hereditary, therefore ear defects are usually congenital. It can take a few years for them to become obvious. The ears grow as the child grows and reach their definitive size at the age of 7 on average. Sticking out ears are not the result of a certain head position during sleep. The ears stick out because of the abnormal position of the auricle’s cartilage. There are 3 main types of anomalies causing the ears to stick out :
- The angle between the skull and ears is too wide.
- An overgrowth of the concha’s cartilage projecting the ear forward.
- The ear has no folds because of an abnormal cartilage shape.
What type of result can you expect ?
Plastic surgeons use sutures to bring back the ears closer the head with a short incision at the back of the head. Sutures allow the surgeon to recreate the ear’s natural folds. The procedure can performed under general or local anesthesia. Otoplasty offers permanent results : symmetrical, normal sized and properly folded ears. A few months can be necessary to appreciate the final result : enough time for swelling to go down entirely.
How important is ear surgery ?
Even if most patients request ear surgery for aesthetic purposes, the procedure aims at repairing a congenital ear malformation that almost always causes self-consciousness and self-image issues from the age of primary school. These issues can negatively impact a child’s personality and constitute obstacles to well-being and personal development later on, which is why most surgeons advise parents to get the surgery for their child as soon as the ears have stopped growing.
